Laws Ending Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire

• “Such great willfulness had by some means invaded those same Christians and such great stupidity had occupied them that they would not follow those practices which their own ancestors had perhaps been the first to institute, but they have made laws for themselves which they might observe in accordance with their own will and as it seemed pleasant to them.” - Edict of Galerius
• “Taking into consideration the observance of our most mild clemency and of our sempiternal custom, by which we are accustomed to indulge all men with prompt pardon, we have determined that our indulgence should be extended to these men also.” - Edict of Galerius
• “We believed that, among other matters which we saw would be beneficial for many men, those which ought to be put in order first of all were those by which the reverence of divinity is sustained, so that we should give both to Christians and everyone the free power of following the religion which each wished.” - Letter of Licinius
• “In this way it will come about that divine favour towards us, which we have experienced in such great things, will, as we have defined above, persist prosperously through all time on our achievements together with our public happiness.” - Letter of Licinius